Damen Installs BWT System to Cable Innovator

Global Marine Systems Limited’s vessel Cable Innovator has recently left Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque (part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion) after extensive work including the installation of a ballast water treatment system and a five-year survey. Global Marine Systems has been active on the cable-laying market since the industry’s earliest days and offers its clients 160 years of experience in the sector.

Global Marine has worked with Damen previously when its vessel, Wave Sentinel, went through a scope of work at the company’s Brest yard. This time around, Global Marine initially considered sending the Cable Innovator to Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam, however, as this yard was filled to capacity, Dunkirk proved a more convenient option. Damen Area Manager Edwin Ruppert says this is the benefit of having 15 yards, 11 of which are located on the European coastline. “With yards covering the entire European coast, from the English Channel to the Baltic, we are always able to accommodate our clients."

Multi-role vessel
Cable Innovator is a multi-role vessel able to serve both energy and telecommunications sectors as well as facilitate scientific research. “The vessel is unique,” said Mr Ruppert. “She is one of the largest cable layers in the world and has a very good track record. In anticipation of the forthcoming IMO Ballast Water Convention, we have outfitted the vessel with a ballast water treatment system.”

Scope of work
The BWT-system, as well as being one of the main elements of the project, was also one of its more challenging aspects. “We installed the ballast water system, with all its complex piping, into a very tight space, in a very short timeframe,” explains Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque Project Manager Florent Longer. To ensure this part of the work was completed on schedule, Damen cut a strategic entrance into the vessel’s hull to speed up the installation process.

Amongst the other work Damen carried out on the Cable Innovator were items required for the vessel’s 5-year survey. Amongst these was the blasting and repainting of the ballast water tanks, fresh water tanks and vessel undersides.

Damen also removed, overhauled and reinstalled the vessel’s tail shaft, three tunnel thrusters and one azimuth thruster. This scope was also carried out with a focus on time-efficient delivery. “The removal and refitting of the shaft and thrusters involved a very quick turnaround. The teams were very well-led and performed excellently as a result,” said Global Marine Superintendent Jeremy Lloyd.

Speaking of Global Marine’s selection of Damen to carry out the work on the Cable Innovator, Mr Lloyd continued, “Damen had a very positive attitude towards the project. This was apparent even from the tendering phase, when Mr Ruppert and Mr Longer came to the UK in person to inspect the vessel and get a good understanding of what we required. They invested time and effort from the outset and we were confident in their ability to fulfil our requirements – which is exactly what they have done with an on time, on budget delivery.”